Proposed Bill Adds New Protected Group

AB 2182, which is a new bill pending in California, would add a new protected class to the Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA), specifically, “family responsibilities.” This bill would prohibit employment discrimination on the basis of of “family responsibilities,” as defined, and would recognize the opportunity to seek, obtain, and hold employment without discrimination because of family responsibilities as a civil right. The bill would also make it unlawful for an employer or other entity covered by the act to fail to make reasonable accommodation for the known family responsibilities of an applicant or employee related to specified obligations, or to retaliate or otherwise discriminate against a person for requesting an accommodation. The problem with the bill is that “family responsibilities” is broadly defined to include the “obligations of an employee or applicant to provide care for a minor child or care receipt.”  “Care recipient” means a family member or household member of an employee or applicant who relies on the employee or applicant for medical care or for assistance with activities of daily living. We will provide updates on this bill as it makes its way through the legislative process. More details on the proposed legislation can be found here:   https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml?bill_id=202120220AB2182